Exploring the anti-convulsant potential of cordia dichotoma leaf extract to combat seizures in swiss albino mice

Many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, cerebrovascular impairment, depression, seizures, and Parkinson’s disease, are increasingly prevalent in the modern era, largely due to stressful lifestyles. Prolonged treatment of these disorders with synthetic drugs often leads to severe side effects. In recent years, scientific research has shifted focus toward phytochemical for the treatment of neurological disorders. Nootropic herbs refer to plants or plant parts that exert medicinal effects through their neuroprotective properties, attributed to active phytochemical such as alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, phenolic, and flavonoids. These phytocompounds play a crucial role in maintaining the brain's chemical balance by modulating the function of receptors for major inhibitory neurotransmitters. In the present study, it was clearly demonstrated that Cordia dichotoma possesses antiepileptic activity, fulfilling the first objective of this investigation. It is well-known that herbal medicines generally have fewer side effects and lower risk of resistance. The plants used in this study are no exception, as toxicity studies revealed that Cordia dichotoma is relatively safe (LD50 of 19.7 g/kg, with no animal deaths observed even at a dose of 500 mg/kg). Thus, this study encourages further exploration of Ayurveda’s untapped potential in treating epilepsy, as many plants remain unevaluated and may exhibit antiepileptic properties, which addresses the second objective of the research.